


Tradition

by RyuichiSakuma



Series: What Were the Mugiwara Thinking? [9]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Ace and Luffy already know that Sabo’s a noble and they don’t care, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brotherly Affection, Gen, One Piece Secret Santa 2016, Secret Santa 2016, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 03:22:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9053164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuichiSakuma/pseuds/RyuichiSakuma
Summary: Luffy needs cheering up.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fossilfinding](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=fossilfinding).



> Guess what, fossilfinding, I"m your 2016 Secret Santa!
> 
> I swore up and down that I wasn’t going to write something seasonal, because I wanted to have a story that could be read all year round. Oh well, that idea went out the window. >; D
> 
> Happy Yule/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Hanukkah/hopeIdidn’tleaveoutyourholiday!
> 
> Ryuichi

 

Wearing a sad expression, Luffy walked past the two boys. He ignored the haunch cooking over the fire in order to climb up to their shared tree house home.

 

“What’s wrong with the brat? He’s been kinda off lately,” Ace asked. He sliced off a piece of rhinoceros meat from over the fire. Blowing on it a few times, he took a huge bite.

 

“Idunno. He won’t tell me,” Sabo replied, placing his meat on a large leaf to cool. “He said it wasn’t important when I asked.”

 

“Stupid kid probably misses the dorks in his village,” the freckled boy said, swallowing his mouthful.

 

“No, I don’t think so Ace. This seems...different...somehow,” Sabo admitted. He gazed worriedly up the tree after the youngest boy, then back at Ace. “I got the impression that he...is missing something.”

 

“Missing something? Like what? His old bed?” Ace asked around a second mouthful of meat.

 

“Not exactly. I noticed that for the last few days, he kept asking what day it was. Whenever I told him, he would quickly look up at the sun, look at the ground then sadly nod,” the blond boy replied. He picked up his dinner with a knife and held it absently in one hand. “I think he’s waiting for something to happen.”

 

“Waiting for what? A flying crocodile to magically appear and cook itself for him? Why look up at the sky?” Ace huffed and took another bite.

 

“Idunno. Ace. I really don’t know what’s going on with Luffy,” Sabo said, shrugging.

 

“Well, whatever it is, I hope he figures it out quick. His moping is becoming a pain in the ass,” Ace grumbled.

 

“I think I’m going to do some research,” Sabo decided, biting into his meat.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“Luffy didn’t tell you what we do here in the village around this time of year?” Makino asked the blond boy.

 

“No. He would just shake his head and look sad whenever I asked,” Sabo explained.

 

“Oh, I see,” Makino replied.

 

“Let me explain how we celebrate winter solstice here in Foosha village...” the kindhearted woman began.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

“We are going to do this, whether you like it or not, Ace!” Sabo shouted at the freckled boy.

 

“No. Its a pain in the ass. I’m not doing it,” Ace replied. “Its stupid and doesn’t mean anything to anyone.”

 

“It’ll mean the world to Luffy, Ace. You know that. Why wouldn’t you want to?” Sabo countered.

 

“Because...” Ace groused, crossing his arms and glowering.

 

Sabo sighed dejectedly. “At least think about it, okay?”

 

“………….” Grunting, Ace crossed his arms and stared into the fire.

 

Sabo smiled. He knew the seed had been planted in Ace’s mind. Now if only it would take root.

 

The next morning as the trio headed out, Ace pulled Sabo back to whisper in his ear.

 

“Okay, I’ll do it,” he whispered, looking for the youngest boy. Luffy was just out of earshot poking at a bug on the ground with a stick.

 

“That’s great Ace!” Sabo whispered back. “He’ll be so happy...and so will I.” He admitted, grinning.

 

Ace grinned back and nodded just as Luffy looked over at the pair. Both boys managed to wipe the smiles from their faces in time for the rubber boy to miss them.

 

“What are you doing, knucklehead? We have hunting to do!” Ace fussed, the hold on his pipe tightening as he strode further down the animal trail.

 

Sheepish for apparently holding up the trio, Luffy followed Ace, Sabo taking up the rear.

 

Unbeknown to Luffy, Sabo slipped off among the trees, heading off in a different direction.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Sighing, Luffy lay face down on the ground, tears turning the ground beneath him into mud.

 

“Stupid brat, what the hell are you doing, trying to breath dirt?” Ace grumbled.

 

“No...nothing...” Luffy mumbled before hiccuping.

 

“Are you crying again?” the freckled boy asked.

 

“N...n...no,” Luffy replied, sitting up. He rubbed his mud-stained face, smearing the mud around. Smiling out from under his over-sized straw hat, Luffy instead looked as if he was in pain.

 

“I’m not crying. I’m strong,” Luffy whimpered.

 

Dipping his head down to hide his smile, Ace sighed. “C’mon, brat. Lets go find Sabo.”

 

“Okay,” Luffy replied. Pushing his hat back, he plodded behind the older boy.

 

The pair walked along, silent until they made their way into a clearing.

 

“There you are!” Sabo cried, coming out from behind a tree, a huge blue bow on his hat. In his hands were three red sakazuki. He set them down on a tree stump as Ace went to the same tree that Sabo had just come out from behind. He came back wearing a matching red bow on his pipe.

 

“Here. This is for you,” he said, sticking a yellow bow on Luffy’s hat.

 

Confused, Luffy’s eyes went from one boy to the other.

 

“I swiped this sake from Dadan. That old bat won’t miss one bottle,” Ace said triumphantly. Grinning, he opened the bottle and poured a generous portion into each sakazuki.

 

Sabo turned and smiled at the youngest boy.

 

“I know that in Foosha village, there is a tradition of exchanging presents with family on the Winter Solstice,” he began. “We had to improvise,” he explained, turning towards the freckled boy.

 

“I heard it said that if you share sake with someone, you become brothers. I know Sabo and I aren’t much of a present to give you for Yule Luffy, but...” Ace said, blushing behind his freckles.

 

“NO! Its perfect!” Luffy cried out, his toothy grin taking up most of his still-dirty face. Ace and Sabo smiled in return as the three boys raised their drinks.

 

“To my two new brothers!” Sabo shouted before draining his sake.

 

“To my two new brothers!” echoed Ace.

 

“To the best Yule presents _EVER!_ ” shouted Luffy.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I struggled so much with this story. I’m not really used to ~~intentionally~~ writing pure fluff. I hope it came out okay, I really tried. (^_^);;;


End file.
